One the many New Year’s resolutions many Americans make every year is the decision to do a home project or two around their homes.It is a good incentive and it seems more practical than other resolutions we make.

If you have decided to do a home project and need the help of a professional, hiring a contractor may the next step for you to follow through.If that is the case and you are ready to move forward remember this:

The state of Ohio requires licenses and permits for many sellers and other contractors in the state.

If you are ready to hire a contractor to do some work in your home, a license and permit are required if you want the work, and your home protected.

These are several businesses that require a licenseand permit to do business in the state of Ohio:

Electric Contractors/Installers

Plumbers

HVAC Contractors

Real Estate Agents & Appraisers

Boiler Operators

These permits and licenses are required to perform the work and they ensure that the consumer is protected from predatory and shady contractors.These contractors have to undergo a series of testing, criminal background checks, fingerprinting and even some financial bonding requirements.Hiring a contractor should not be a deterrent to postpone a serious problem you have in your home. There are many contractors in the state of Ohio that have excellent customer satisfaction records and a long history in their communities.

Some of the serious problems that you may encounter when doing home projects can include:

Foundation problems

Basement waterproofing issues

Roof issues

Electrical problems

Sewer problems

These issues can become a major financial problem if you ignore them, and for the majority of us, they require the help of a professional.From a small issue that can be easily repaired, these home issues can become big problems pretty quickly.

Other home issues that people don’t tend to take seriously are the gutters and the drainage system in their home.If you want the rain and snowmelt to drain away from the foundation of your home, you need to have gutters and the drainage pipes to take the water at least ten feet from the foundation, otherwise you will have water sitting around the foundation of your home that will eventually find its way to the walls and basement of your home.

If you are ready, and before hiring a contractor, check your local BBB website to find the rating of some of these businesses.Check customer satisfaction reviews and complaints about the business, and call at least three different contractors before you make a decision.

The National Safety Council has a list of the top causes of Unintentional injury and death at homes.Right now, in northeast Ohio, snow is not a problem at all.The weather has been unseasonably warm and the thought of snow has not entered our thoughts yet.But, snow will come and the many winter activities that snow brings along are some of the top unintentional injuries we have to be aware this winter.

Even if you are not thinking about sledding or skiing with your family, shoveling snow can be a strenuous exercise that you need to be aware of if you have heart problems or lead a sedentary life.

Fire-during this time of year, many families homes have an abundance of Christmas decorations or other holiday decorations that require electricity. Reading and following the safety precautions on these decorations can help you avoid afire in your home.

Fires in the kitchen are a common occurrence during the holiday season as well.Be cautious while cooking your holiday meals, and do not leave the stove unattended.

According toInjury Facts 2017, about 146,571 people died from unintentional injury-related deaths in 2015. That’s an all-time high. Often, these tragedies happen when least expected – during a vacation, while doing chores at home or while driving across town – and they are all preventable.

NSC encourages everyone to be aware of hazards related to leisure and recreational activities, take proper safety precautions and sign up for NSC Monthly News. You’ll get timely and useful blogs, seasonal safety tips, survey results, legislative updates, event information and lots of other safety-related news.

Here, in order, are the top causes of unintentional injury and death in homes and communities.

#1: Poisoning

In 2011, poisonings overtook motor vehicle crashes for the first time as the leading cause of unintentional-injury-related death for all ages combined. Poisoning deaths are caused by gases, chemicals and other substances, but prescription drug overdose is by far the leading cause. Learn more about this epidemic and other poisons in the home.

The holiday season can be a wonderful time of year if you take the needed precautions while out shopping and in your home. Public Information Officer Brian Kalinowski of the Galt Police Department encourages all Galt residents to be more aware or their surroundings during the holiday season, and Cosumnes Fire Department’s (CSD) Public Education Officer Laurel Schamber has tips to keep your homes safe from fires.

“The police department often sees an increase in thefts during the holidays,” Kalinowski said.

In an effort to prevent you from becoming a victim, the Galt Police Department offers some suggestions:

• Package Theft: If possible, have your packages delivered to an address where someone will be home to receive them. Leaving them out on the porch only invites those looking for an opportunity to take your items. Use delivery notification options so you can track your packages and have them retrieved upon delivery.

Are you planning a home project that requires you to hire a contractor? Do you know what to ask before you begin?

Five questions you must ask a contractor:

How long have you been doing this kind of work?

Are you Insured?

Will you provide a written estimate and warranty?

Are you a licensed and registered contractor with the state?

Can you provide references I can contact?

Many honest, long time contractors won’t hesitate when you ask them these questions. They probably expect them and would be more than happy to answer them. A long history in the community doing the job you are hiring them to do speaks volumes and build trust between the parties. If the company you are trying to hire has a long history in your community doing great work, the references request you are supposed to ask won’t be a problem for them.

Now, if you call the references they provided, what are some of the questions you may ask?

Are you satisfied with the work they did?

How long ago was the job completed? Is the job holding up?

Was the price agreed upon the final price, or were there other expenses not specified in the contract?

Right now, renovating a home is much, much easier than it was during the real estate bubble. So how do you pick a contractor?

I recall back during the bubble how often I’d get calls from homeowners complaining they couldn’t get a call back from contractors. The frenzy around housing values going up and up and up drummed up plenty of business for contractors at that time.

During the bubble, I even heard of contractors who were so successful that they wouldn’t even give price quotes. The price would just be whatever it would be and you’d have to be in a position to pay it when the bill came due.

Children are in school now.Yes, they do bring homework and projects and other chores we sometimes help them to do, but we do have a bit more time to do those chores the summer months were too short to let us do.

The autumn is a season where there are many chores we must do to prepare for the winter months. from putting away our gardening tools to preparing our home for the winter, the fall months can be very active. And , if you are thinking about tackling a more serious project, where do you need to start?

You need to first find what project you really want to do and a budget you are allowing yourself to have. If you need to do a project that is indispensable to the well-being of your family – A new roof, or a basement waterproofing project- then you need to first start choosing the best contractor you can find.

If you are doing a home remodeling project for purely aesthetic reasons, then, you still need to follow the steps of how to choose a contractor for your project.

How to choose a good contractor

If you have no family’s references and no friends recommendations of a good contractor, then you will probably google it to get a list. Here are some of the things you should be looking out for:

Contact contractors that are locally owned and operated-make sure they have been in the business for a long time

Check their Business Bureau Status

Ask for references that are not from friends or family members

You Must call those references and talk to the homeowners and ask them about the craftsmanship and other related issues concerning the job they did.

Make sure that they are fully bonded and insured

Ask for an estimate in writing

Ask them about the form of payment they require

For more about home remodeling projects and other news, follow the links below.

Central Ohio homeowners are spending a record amount of money building additions, updating kitchens and renovating bathrooms.

Fueled by a robust economy and rising home values, which allow homeowners to pull cash out of their homes to fund improvements, Americans are expected to spend more than $300 billion on remodeling this year.

“I’ve been doing this since 1981 and have never seen it this busy,” said Todd Schmidt, owner of the Grove City remodeling firm Renovations Unlimited.

While the remodeling boom is good for contractors, it means longer waits for homeowners eager to polish up their properties.

Bill and Marcia Miller tried for two years to get a contractor to update the laundry room of their Dublin-area home.

The home improvement industry is expected to surpass the $300 billion mark by 2017 according to research done by Harvard University.The many projects done by homeowners and the expenditures they are willing to spend doing those projects increases every year.A leaky roof is a necessity for some of these homeowners, but the projects more likely to be done are kitchen and bathroom renovations that they have wanted to do for many years. Are you thinking about doing a home project on your own?Read the advice some experts give us by following the links below.

Everyone loves saving money, but not all DIY projects are a savings in the end, as these homeowners found out the hard way.

Renovations are stressful, especially when you have to re-do DIY projects because of mistakes. In the rooftop vent photo, the owner had expanded and remodeled their kitchen, removing an old wood stove Their mistake, according to explains Brian Fish, owner of WIN Home Inspection Mount Vernon, who had to fix the mess: “They opted to run the new exhaust for the range up through the existing vent cap from the wood stove and then attach it to the box vent and screw it to the old stove vent cap. Needless to say the new range vent was not secure or properly installed and so it was prone to leaks.” These are the secrets contractors wish all first-time homeowners knew.

Philadelphia, PA — (SBWIRE) — 08/15/2017 — Rightway Waterproofing Co., the leading mold removal company in New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Delaware, wants everyone to make sure their house, specifically the basement and cellar, are ready for the change in seasons that is quickly approaching.

“Although it is still August, heavy rain during August and September and snow right around the corner can still cause water damage to the lower areas of the house that you may not think is possible until winter hits,” said Al Grabov of Rightway Waterproofing Co. “Flood damage can happen anytime with no warning whatsoever. The common thought that winter is the only time for flooding can be very problematic to homeowners.”

For over 25 years, Grabov and his crew of professional technicians have been the leading mold contractors in the area. They specialize in eliminating unwanted moisture, black mold, mildew and fungus. Rightway Waterproofing Co. goes above and beyond to eliminate any water damage, as well as prevent any further water damage from occurring.

​MOST people are unaware that termites cause more damage to structures compared to all calamities combined. The Philippines is a country where termite infestation is common everywhere. Termites are those nasty critters that feed on cellulose materials such as paper and wood.

“I-Solignum mo”

For many of us, wood preservative means Solignum. Solignum is recognized as a superbrand and has been in the Philippine market for over 50 years. It has been proven in protecting against termites, wood borers and fungi. Solignum has become a household name; thus we hear people say, “I-Solignum mo” when faced with a termite problem.

To complement Solignum, it is likewise important to apply a soil termiticide such as Soilguard. Termites come from the soil, and so it is a must to create a “barrier” to prevent termites from entering your home. Termites that come in contact with soil treated with Soilguard are killed through contact, ingestion or inhalation of the active ingredient; thereby providing protection from the entry of termites.

During the raining season, it is very clear whether you have a leaky basement or not.Water seeping to the basement of your home become a reality when you see puddles of water on the basement floor.The question then is, where is the water coming from? If the spring season brings water into the basement, chances are the water is coming from the outside.If you have problems with leaky pipes, water would be a problem all year long, not only during the spring season.The humidity in your basement can play havoc with furniture, the stability of the foundation, appliances you may have there, etc. Taking care of those problems right away can save you many headaches down the road.

Basement moisture introduces mold and mildew, wood rot and worse. Gradually, the effect of such issues combine to compromise the home both structurally and aesthetically. Fortunately for us all, affordable and DIY-friendly masonry waterproofer can both of those problems at the same time. Read on to find out how!

As homeowners, we all have our dirty little secrets, whether it be a carpet stain concealed by strategically placed furniture or in my case, a basement furnace room that resembles a horror-movie set. Despite being dimly lit, with exposed pipes spreading like tentacles all around, I know the room would have problems much worse than aesthetics, if it weren’t for the sump pump and drains I opted to add several years ago. The combination worked wonders to stem the tide of basement leaks we’d been struggling to control until then. But recently, I began to recognize that although pools of liquid water no longer suddenly appear on the floor, another, subtler warning sign—unsightly, unhealthy mildew—proves that basement moisture remains an issue.

So I decided to launch on a new campaign aimed not only at protecting against future mildew growth, but also at improving the look of the furnace room once and for all. Of course, I’m not the first homeowner to take on a project like this.

WASHINGTON — Next week could bring heavy rain into the region. And if rain makes your basement soggy, a consumer’s group advises trying easy do-it-yourself solutions before hiring a contractor.

“Check to make sure your gutters have been cleaned out. Check to make sure that downspouts from your gutters are spilling far away from your home,” said Kevin Brasler, executive editor at Checkbook.org.

Also, hiring a drainage consultant might reveal additional quick fixes, or determine that grading performed when the home was new has diminished. Grading of soil near a home prevents water from flowing toward walls.

“It’s a pretty inexpensive thing to do, especially compared to what these companies will propose,” Brasler said.

You should examine all options, Brasler added, before hiring a basement waterproofing contractor.

“If you are going to hire a company to solve your problem inside your basement, make sure you talk to several companies,” Brasler advised. “I would talk to five or six companies that do this type of work.”

​Just as spring allergens can pose a problem for people, spring weather and changes can pose a problem for homes. Ted Puzio, owner of Southern Trust Home Services, shares tips about how homeowners can prep their homes for spring.

Homeowners can reduce seasonal allergens inside the home by inspecting or replacing HVAC air filters and inspecting ductwork and vents for signs of mold growth.

Homeowners can prevent basement waterproofing problems due to spring showers by checking the house for any leaks and seepage and unclogging gutters and checking that all downspouts extend away from the home’s foundation.

Homeowners can prepare for early heat by checking the AC. – strange noises, condensation leaks and indoor temperatures that do not match thermostat readings are signs that it needs repair – and by requesting a seasonal HVAC tune-up and cleaning.

Maintenance is the key to keep your cars running smoothly, your appliances working, and your house looking beautiful.There are a few maintenance tips for your home that can help you avoid costly repairs later.Cleaning the gutters of your home and makingsure they are not loose or clogged can save you repairsdue to leaking water to the basement, or damage done to the roof. Making sure the water downspouts adapters are firmly attached, and are taking the water away from the foundation of your home, can save you from having water sitting around the foundation and eventually finding a way to the basement. Prevention is the key to saving hundreds or even thousands of dollars in unnecessary repairs.

If you put off fixing a wobbly fence post or squeaky door hinge, it’s probably not going to end in a homeowners insurance claim. Other home repairs, if left unchecked, can quickly domino into major disasters. Water is a factor—if not the primary cause—in the majority of high-risk situations. Here’s how to identify priority home repairs and handle them at their source:

Runaway Rainwater

Telltale signs: Rain pouring over gutters and puddling along foundation walls.Why you need to act: Water can deteriorate siding and foundation walls, eventually finding its way to interior spaces and damaging them.What to do: Inspect the entire gutter system for clogs and corrosion; you can clear clogs yourself, but if your gutters are corroded, you’ll want to talk to a pro about having them replaced. Check that the soil around your home’s foundation slopes away from the house at least 1 inch per foot for 6 feet or more. Regrade the soil if the slope is insufficient.

Tips from the happy homeowner playbook: Don’t let your cash go down the drain or out the window.

Whether your live in a 19th-century farmhouse or 1990s colonial, chances are you’re leaving real money on the table each year in the form of excessive energy consumption. Simple behavioral changes, such as turning off power-hungry video game consoles, can add up to serious savings. The following energy-efficiency advice also includes high-hanging fruit, like upgrading your water heater and making the investment in rooftop solar.

Eliminate Drafts

Here’s an easy way to pinpoint air leaks in your home that make for drafty rooms in the winter and can drive up annual heating costs by $100 or more. First, turn on every exhaust fan in the house, including a whole-house fan and kitchen range hood, and hold an incense stick up to suspected leaks around windows, doors, and even electrical outlets. If the smoke blows sideways, you have a leak large enough to undermine your home’s comfort and efficiency. For around $30 worth of caulk, weatherstripping, and expandable foam sealant, you can plug the leaks for good.

A leaky roof or a sagging gutter can be hard to ignore. The same goes for some old-school wood paneling in your den or that hideous palm tree wallpaper you put up in a (misguided) attempt to recreate your honeymoon. Unfortunately, most home improvements don’t exactly come cheap.

In fact, it may even feel like you’re basically saving up another down payment on your home to fix it up. There are some ways, however, to sock some dollars away and have your new sink and bathtub in the new year, too.

Here’s how to work some much-needed home improvements into your 2017 budget.

1. Save

Sure, you may feel inclined to rush into renovations — and when it comes to certain home repairs, things must be readily done. But it still behooves you to save where you can before crossing things off the to-do list. One trick?

“[Set] an automatic transfer from your checking account to your savings account to take place every two weeks on your payday so that the money leaves your account before you ever have a chance to spend it,” Brian Davis, director of education for real estate blog SparkRental, said.

This winter in Northeast Ohio hasn’t been bad.Temperatures are nothing compared to what they used to be a few years back, and snow accumulation has been minimal — my daughter is still waiting for enough snow to build our annual igloo — and unless February brings too much snow to make up for January’s, the climate in Northeast Ohio is not too shabby.

Spring will come sooner than you think.The rains will undoubtedly come too, and with the rains come flooded basements in many homes around here.We are humans, and busy humans to boot.We don’t check many things around the home, unless we have an emergency or pay someone to do it for us.For example: When was the last time you checked the sump pump to make sure it works? Do you know if you have one?A sump pump can be an incredible help if you have a flooded basement, and making sure is in working condition can be very beneficial for your whole family.

If you have a sump pump and are wondering what to do, these are some of the basic things you need to check to make sure it’s working properly.

The electrical system of the sump pump can suffer from damages over time.Power surges during storms can damage it and leave you with a sump pump that no longer works.

If you are testing the sump pump, make sure you go outside to make sure that is discharging the water.

Replace the battery every couple years.

Make sure the motor of your sump pump is not making strange noises when running it.If it is, follow the manufactures’s instruction to fix the problem, or call a knowledgeable company to fix it for you.

Make sure the drain lines are clean, and will not block the water exits.

Maintenance is key for your sump pump.The manufacture’s instruction booklet can give you clear instructions on how to properly maintaining your sump pump, and keep it working for years.

If you have already one installed, checking it before the rains arrive can be a very helpful aid when you most need it. Look into the manufacture’s booklet to know what steps to take before you test it, or call a knowledgeable person or company to do it for you.

Looking at any Home Depot, or Lowes store, you will find that there are hundreds of sump pumps to choose from. Make sure that if you are going to replace the one you have, you need to make sure it is the right one for your home. A too little or too big sump pump for your home cannot be good and even shorten its life. Talk to a professional if you are unsure what to buy.

When we offer articles in this magazine about cost effective solutions to waterproof your basement, and you think you can do the job by yourself, we want you to think carefully first about the problems that you are facing.If your basement’s problem is only humidity, a humidifier will do wonders to the place.If on the other hand you have water sitting on the basement floor or there is seeping as well, the problem is no longer as easy to fix.A basement waterproofing company with a long history in your community can be the only solution you have.Contact us, we will offer you a hassle free consultation for your basement needs.

The good: D-Link’s Water Sensor is smartly designed and features all the important perks to make it an effective flood detector.

The bad: D-Link’s only real weakness is that it relies on being plugged in, which means power outages are its Achilles’ heel.

The cost: $57 to $90

The bottom line: The D-Link Water Sensor is one of the best flood sensors on the market. If you’re considering buying such a device, this should be the first option on your list — especially if you don’t already use a smart-home hub.

Many contractors will propose the installation of expensive interior drainage systems — even if you don’t need one — when most moisture problems can be solved through less expensive means. You’re more likely to get good results and save a lot of money by exploring other solutions and hiring a basement waterproofing contractor only if absolutely needed. If your home was built within the past few years, check the builder’s warranty for clauses on seepage.

Most basements get wet when rainwater runs toward the walls of houses from roofs, yards and driveways. So your first step is to force it to run away from your home.

Start by cleaning your gutters, repairing holes, and making sure they slope toward downspouts and have not come loose from the house, allowing water to fall directly from the roof to the ground. Test downspouts to make sure they spill water at least four feet away from the house.

There is an approximate rain precipitation in the Akron area of about 36.06 inch every year. That’s nothing compared to the precipitation that Aberdeen Reservoir, Washington gets of 130.6 inches of rain every year.But, the 36 inches of rain a year that we get can still play havoc with your home if your basement has issues.There are many homes in the Northeast Ohio area that are older homes, and their basements need work.But, if you have a flooded basement after a heavy rain, do you know what to do first? Below there are three articles about basement flooding and what to do right away.If you need help finding a solution to your basement problems, contact us, we will be happy to talk to you.

Flooding on Thursday caused some problems for Niles homeowners, and they say this isn’t the first time.

21 News arrived at a home on Brown Street after the rain had passed but, water was still gushing out from the home’s basement pump.

The owner Joan Grusha said the pump became necessary after she spent $14,000 waterproofing the basement but, still experienced flooding.

“Every time is rains real hard we get it,” said Grusha who has lived at the home for 48 years. “I have had water in my basement, I don’t know how many times I’ve had to go down there and clean it up even after I had it waterproofed.”

Just around the corner on East First Street, Pamela Wolfe said her flooding problems are also on repeat.

“My furnace is out, my hot water tank is under water, my washer, my dryer, they’re all brand new because I had to replace them from the last time,” said Wolfe.

And although she said she followed advice to have her drain cleaned out, she fears that only paved the way for more overflow. Her main concern is that the flooding comes with more than just water.

“It’s sewage and water. Somehow they’re connected together, they said ‘Oh when these houses were built they probably hooked your sewer and your storm sewers together.’ There’s been things floating in my basement that weren’t from me,” said Wolfe.

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa — Emergency management officials are urging Iowa residents with basements flooded by the recent storms to use caution when pumping out. Removing all of the water at once may cause serious structural damage to the house.

Draining the water too fast could cause the collapse of the cellar walls, floors, and foundation of the house. The water must be drained slowly to equalize pressure on both sides of the wall.

Although the flood has receded, water still in the ground outside your house may be pushing hard against the outside of your basement walls. The water in your basement is pushing back. If you drain your basement faster than the water in the ground is draining, the outside pressure may be greater than the inside pressure and may cause the foundation or the floor to crack or collapse.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Iowa Emergency Management Division (IEMD) recommend the following procedures be followed when pumping a basement to avoid serious damage, collapse, or injury:

Begin pumping when floodwaters are no longer covering the ground outside.

Pump the water out one foot at a time. Mark the water level and wait overnight.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WSYX/WTTE) — The tiniest bit of ice can create the biggest problems. For the second morning in a row, the commute was slow because of slick roads. Now, incoming rain could lead to problems inside your house.

Columbus resident, Robert Giehl gave a tour of his basement while it was being waterproofed. A crew had to do repairs on the inside and outside after he discovered water had seeped into his walls and floor. He smelled mildew and knew there was a problem.

Scott Seneff of EverDry Waterproofing says water in the basement is more common in the winter than you might think. The ground is expanding and we are also seeing a triple threat this week of melting snow, power outages and rain.

Scott says you need to attack the water from the outside and inside.

“You should have a sump pump with a back up battery system attached to it, that you can get a few hours up to a day or two in case you lose power.”